Israel releases another hunger striking terrorist

PA news agency reports that Israel has released Ghassan Zawahra, a jailed terrorist who went on hunger strike from August to September.

Ben Ariel, 01/12/15 05:13

Terrorist prisoners (illustration)

Flash 90

Israel has released yet another Palestinian Arab terrorist prisoner who had gone on a hunger strike, the Ma’an news agency reported on Monday, citing the man’s family.

According to the family of the prisoner, Ghassan Zawahra, he was released to Aida, a Palestinian Arab town near Bethlehem after being held for 18 months under administrative detention.

Zawahra went on a hunger strike on August 20, along with seven other prisoners, to protest his administrative detention, according to Ma’an. More than a month later on September 29, Israeli authorities announced that Zawahra and one other fellow hunger striker would not have their administrative detention renewed and Zawahra agreed to end his strike, the PA-based news agency added.

Arab terrorist prisoners have turned hunger striking into a pressure tactic aimed at forcing Israel to release them out of fear for their lives. Israel has several times in the past caved to the pressure and released some hunger strikers.

Some 1,550 Palestinian Arabs imprisoned in Israel ended a hunger strike in May 2012, in exchange for a package of measures which would allow visits from relatives in Gaza and the transfer of detainees out of solitary confinement.

The most recent famous case of a terrorist who went on a hunger strike and was ultimately freed was that of Mohammed Allan, who was freed by Israel at the beginning of November.